Container



Nov. 21, 1933. M L. SNYDER 1,936,312

CONTAINER Filed June 9, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l Willard L. Srgzyder wmrwfmwf' @wmf/p2,

d naamw( Patented Nov. 21, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to the class of special receptacles and provides a container, the general object of which is to protect frangible objects, particularly food-studs such as cakes ,or pies from damage incidental to their handling, as Well as atmospheric deterioration such as staleness or the absorption of excess moisture.

A more specic object of the invention is to provide a container for cakes, pastry and the like, comprising telescoping members forming a chamber, including arigid base for supporting the object, a non-hygroscopic and preferably transparent cover, the telescoping margin of which forms a seal with the base and/or a similar stii protective cover tting the base in like sealing manner. y

Other objects-of the invention will appear as the following description of several practical' embodiments thereof proceeds. v

In the drawings in the several figures in which similar characters have been used to designate identical parts:

Figure l is a cross section through one form of the invention in which two cooperating elements are employed to form a casing or`cover for the object to be protected;

p Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating the use of three elements;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of that form of the invention shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the Cellophane cover;

. Figure 5 is a modified form of the invention adapted to receive a pie;

Y Figure 6 is a perspective view of the intermediate member used in that form of the invention illustrated in Figure 5;

Figure '7 is a perspective view of the base inem-` ber shown in Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a vertical section through another form of the invention in which no transparent member is employed; and

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the cover portion of the container shown in Figure 8.

Referring now in detail to the several figures,v

and rst adverting to that form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, the invention in its broadest form is essentially completed by the use of the two elements 1 and 2, one being a base member preferably pressed from a heavy gradeI of paper stock so as to be suiliciently rigid to support the object, for instance, a cake, placed thereupon. The member 1 is preferably formed with a flaring flange 3 upon which it rests. The top portion of the base member being unsupported, is relatively resilient and. serves to protect the cake from shock.

The element 2 is of dished shape sulciently deep to form a chamber enclosing the cake or other objects supported upon the base forming a cover therefor. Said cover telescopes at its margin over the flaring iiange 3 and for the purpose' of providing a sealed joint at this point the cover is provided with a stiffening ring 4 pasted or otherwise united to the cover and having the same ilare as that of the flange 3, so as to enable the cover 2 to fit wedgingly upon the ange of the base. It is preferred that the cover 2 be made of nonhygroscopic material, such for instance asfCellophone which has the added attribute of transparency so that the contents of the package is made visible. A container using only the base and cover members as above described is ideal for the display of goods in a store window or for the dispensing of the protected objectat soda fountains or in cafeteras. A cover of Cellophane or the like is hardly suiliciently stiif to protect the contained object for shipping or while being taken home from the store by a customer. It is therefore preferred to add the third element comprising a protective casing 5 of the same general shape as the Cellophane cover but slightly deeper so as to provide a slight clearance between said casing and the Cellophane" cover beneath. The casing preferably has the same nare as the flange 3 so as to nest snugly over the reinforcing ring 4 of the Cellophane.

It is usually preferred to make the flare of the telescoping portions of the several parts so slight as to constitute a sticking taper, so that when the several parts are nested the package can be held with impunity without risk of falling apart. However, if desired, either the Cellophane unit or the outer protective cover may be provided with metal lugs or ears 6. which may be bent over the ange of the base so as to secure the parts in a positive manner.

Figure 8 shows that the invention also contemplates using the base member and outer casing without the intermediate Cellophane protector.

In Figures 5, 6 and 7, a form of the invention is shown adapted for the reception and protection of a pie. The base member '7 is provided with the ared marginal ange 8 similar to the flange shown in the first described form, the central portion of the base being slightly dished so that the pie is in effect, suspended. This construction adds to the rigidity .of the base and 1,10

shaped cover member having a at its marginal portion correspondingly flared,

- the same direction,

reduces the force of shocks to the container which `might tend to shatter the pie. Althoughv a threeelement construction may be used with this base, similar to the construction described in connection with Figure 1, it is preferred to use a twoelement construction including the frusto-coniical outer casing 9, open at its upper as well as at its lower end and provided with a Cellophane or other transparent as well as hygroscopic shell 11. The marginal portions of said shell may extend between the flange of the base and the casing 9 and be clamped 'therebetween when the casing is wedgingly applied to the base. The Cellophane shell may if desired, be pasted to the inside of the casing. As an added protection against ruptureof the Cellophane shell, the top membrane thereof may terminate at a distance below the upper edge of the casing 9 as shown in Figure 5.

With this form of container, the pie is visible both through the Cellophane and the open end of the outer casing. At the same time it is suspended at a spaced distance from the planes embracing the upper and lower edges of the outer container whereby it is best protected from injury.

In Figures '8 and 9 is shown a form of the invention in which the base is not flared, the telescoping parts of the base 12 and cover 13 making a close cylindrical flt. In view oi.' the fact that the element of the sticking taper is not present in this form, it is probably indispensable that the cover should be provided with the lugs 6.

It will be understood that the above described modifications illustrate only a few of the specific forms in which the invention can be embodied and that the details of construction as shown and described are not to be construed as limitative in their effect upon the scope ofthe invention as claimed.

What I claim is: Y

1. Container comprising a relatively rigid inverted cup-shaped bottom and a relatively flexible inverted cup-shaped cover, the latter having a peripheral reinforcing ring, said bottom and said cover. having their open ends facing with the marginal portion of the cover including the 'zone of the reinforcing ring telescopically engaging the sides of the bottom member in sealing relation.

2. Container comprising an inverted cupshaped bottom member formed with a downwardly flared peripheral flange, an inverted cupreinforcing ring said cover memberjand said bottom member having their open sides facing the same direction, and said cover member in the zone of said reinforcing ring engaging'the` flange of said bottom member in sealing relation.

3. Container as claimed in claim 2, the bottom member being relatively rigid and the "cover member above said reinforcing ring being relatively non-rigid.

4. Container comprising a plurality of' inverted cup-shaped members adapted to be arranged in nested relation with their open sides in the same direction, including a bottom member having a downwardly extending peripheral flange, an intermediate member of greater depth than said bottom member and of relatively ilexible material having a reinforcing ring at its margin, and an outer protective member of at least as great depth as said intermediate member, the flange of said bottom member, the reinforcing ring of said intermediate member and the marginal portion of said outer member telescoping in sealing relation.-

5. Container comprising a bottom member lhaving a downwardly. extending peripheral flange, and a cover member having sides yof greater width than the depth of the flange of said bottom member adapted to nest over said bottom member with its sides in sealing relation to the flange of said bottom member, said cover member being provided with a transverse membrane forming a top, the sides of said cover member and the flange of the bottom member being correspondingly flared, to engage with a sticking taper, the transverse membrane extending within said cover member in a plane intermediate its top and lower edges.

6. Container comprising a bottom member having a downwardly extending peripheral flange, and a cover member having sides of greater Width than the depth of the flange of said bottom member adapted to nest over said bottom member with its sides in sealing relation to the flange of said bottom member, said cover member being provided with a transverse membrane forming a top, the transverse membrane extending in a plane intermediate the top and lower edges of said cover member and being transparent.

7. A container comprising a bottom having a downwardly extending outwardly tapered peripheral flange, an intermediate member having sides of similar tapered construction and adapted to nest over said flange with its nested portion in tapered sealing relation with said flange, a cover member having sides of similar I tapered construction adapted to nest over said intermediate member with its nested portion in tapered relation with said intermediate member.

8. A container comprising a bottom having a downwardly extending outwardly tapered peripheral flange, an intermediate member having portions of comparatively fragile material, and being of similar tapered construction adapted to nest over said flange in tapered sealing relation therewith, a protective cover of greater depth than said intermediate member having sides of similar tapered construction and adapted to nest over said flange in tapered sealing relation with the bottom portion of said intermediate member.

9. A container comprising a bottom having a downwardly extending outwardly tapered peripheral flange, an intermediate member having portions of comparatively fragile transparent material, and being of similar tapered construction adapted to nest over said flange in tapered sealing relation therewith, a protective cover of greater depth than said intermediate member having sides of similar tapered construction and adapted to nest over said flange in tapered sealing relation with the bottom portion of said intermediate member. 

